Admission Criteria

Financial Need

At College of the Ozarks, we're looking for good students who lack the financial resources to pay for private, Christian, higher education. If you fit that bill, you might be a good candidate for admission! The mission of this unique institution focuses on providing a Christian education to those who are found worthy, from the Ozarks region, but who are without sufficient means to obtain such training.

Ninety percent of each entering class must demonstrate financial need. For only ten percent of each entering class, the financial need requirement is waived. Visit the Tuition and Fees page for more information on our unique cost of education package!

Academic Ability

Students should be in the top half of their graduating class with a preferred high school gpa of 3.0 and obtain our preferred score of 20 on the ACT or a 950 on the SAT. We pay particular attention not only to these factors, but also to the types of courses taken in high school and their levels of difficulty. It is to your advantage to have above average grades, especially in English classes. The College provides a scholarship for tuition to every student admitted; it is important that the College invest its resources in students who have a track record of success in their academic experiences.

Regional Ozarks Region County List

The College was founded to serve students specifically from the Ozarks region. Although we occasionally admit students from outside the region, preference is given to those from the College’s service region.

A list of counties in our service region is given below.

Arkansas

Arkansas

Crawford

Jackson

Monroe

Searcy

Baxter

Crittenden

Jefferson

Newton

Sharp

Benton

Cross

Johnson

Phillips

Stone

Boone

Faulkner

Lawrence

Poinsett

Van Buren

Carroll

Franklin

Lee

Pope

Washington

Clay

Fulton

Lonoke

Prairie

White

Cleburne

Greene

Madison

Pulaski

White

Conway

Independence

Marion

Randolph

Craighead

Izard

Mississippi

St. Francis

Missouri

Barry

Crawford

Jefferson

Oregon

St. Clair

Barton

Dade

Johnson

Osage

St. Francois

Bates

Dallas

Laclede

Ozark

Ste. Genevieve

Benton

Dent

Lafayette

Pemiscot

St. Louis

Bollinger

Douglas

Lawrence

Perry

Stoddard

Butler

Dunklin

Madison

Pettis

Stone

Camden

Franklin

Maries

Phelps

Taney

Cape Girardeau

Gasconade

McDonald

Polk

Texas

Carter

Greene

Miller

Pulaski

Vernon

Cass

Henry

Mississippi

Reynolds

Washington

Cedar

Hickory

Moniteau

Ripley

Wayne

Christian

Howell

Morgan

Saline

Webster

Cole

Iron

New Madrid

Scott

Wright

Cooper

Jasper

Newton

Shannon

Illinois

Oklahoma

Kansas

Alexander

Adair

Cherokee

Gallatin

Cherokee

Crawford

Hardin

Craig

Jackson

Delaware

Johnson

Mayes

Massac

Muskogee

Pope

Ottawa

Pulaski

Sequoyah

Saline

Wagoner

Union

Alumni Children Applicants

Applicants who are children of alumni who are members in good standing of the College of the Ozarks Alumni Association will be given preferential consideration until February 15 of each year. Alumni children applicants must complete the same admissions process as all candidates. Admissions standards are not modified for alumni children applicants.